Awning housing boxes



June 26, 1956 E. P. DAZZO 2,752,063

AWNING HOUSING soxss Filed May 21, 1952 IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent 6 AG HOUSING BOXES.

Errol P. DAzzo, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application May 21, 1952, Serial No. 289,039

Claims. (Cl. 220-36) This invention relates to an improved unit for operating the lid of an awning housing box, and one of its objects is to provide a bracket on which the worm drive is supported for suitable position adjustments, and a bolt and slot arrangement for holding any selective adjustment, and which also provides the sole coupling means for holding the bracket in bearing relation to the lid operating shaft.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bracket for adjustably supportig the lid operating shaft, with a bearing of approximately C-shape in which the lid shaft may be seated by lateral movement from the front, and to provide an adjustable coupling between the bracket and the worm drive for the lid shaft, which effectively prevents displacement of the lid shaft from the hearing of the bracket.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lid stiffening brace bar which is constructed in two sections pivotally connected to each other, so that assembly of the brace in a channel shaped lid may be quickly and easily made.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an operating lever arm on the lid shaft, with a longitudinal slot opening through the forward end of the lever arm, which can be forced under the head of a spring loaded bolt, and which will have a sliding and rocking relation to the brace bar, when the lid is swung by the worm actuation of the lid shaft and the lever arm.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention comprises certain new and useful constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts, clearly described in the following specification, and fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a conventional awning housing box, showing the lid in closed position.

Fig. 2 is an assembly view, in elevation, of a lid operating shaft, shown broken away and on a reduced scale, for convenience.

Fig. 3 is a detail elevation of the worm drive, showing the relation of the bracket which adjustably supports the same.

Fig. 4 is an elevation showing the bracket and the bolt which couples the worm drive thereto and holds it for any selective adjustment.

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the worm drive.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the lever arm.

Fig. 7 is an edge view thereof.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view, enlarged, showing the hinge connection between the housing box and the lid.

Fig. 9 is a detail plan view of the two-piece brace, showing the two sections in full lines in normal aligned use position, and the smaller section in dotted lines in a laterally displaced position.

Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view, showing the means for coupling the gear housing and worm gear to the bracket.

Fig. 11 is a detail cross sectional view through the handle shaft, showing a drive pin for connecting the sleeve worm to the shaft.

Fig. 12 is a detail side view of the handle shaft, showing two holes for mounting the worm sleeve in right or left hand positions.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the practical embodiment of my invention, 10 designates a conventional awning housing box, which is mounted in front and over the entrance of a store or building, and which'is provided with a horizontally disposed wall 11, a vertical rear wall 12, and a horizontal bottom wall 13.

The usual lid operating shaft 14 is supported in a horizontal position by means of the brackets 15, which are suitably mounted against the top wall 11. On this lid shaft 14 the worm gear 16 is mounted by means of the set screw 16a. This worm gear operates between the bearings 17:: and 17b of the housing box 17, which is constructed with spaced apart bearings 17c and 17d which receive the handle shaft 18, and on this shaft the sleeve worm 19 is mounted by means of the set screw 19a. This mounting permits the extension of the handle shaft from either end or side of the housing box. The teeth or threads of the worm 19 have meshing engagement with the teeth of the worm gear 16.

The housing box 17 is formed with an integral nut 20, which receives the threaded bolt 21, which extends through the arcuate slot 22a of the supporting bracket 22. This bracket is attached to the top wall 11 of the housing box it), by means of its integral base flange 22b and the bolts or screws 22c, and is formed with a diagonal pendant arm 22d in which the slot 22a is formed. The forward lower end of the arm 22d is formed with a C-shaped bearing 22c, providing a lower bearing arm 22] and an upper bearing arm 22g.

When the bracket is in position the lid shaft 14 may be assembled in the bearing 22a by lateral movement, and when the shaft 14 is in position the bracket may be simply slipped on the lid shaft and then mounted in supporting position on the awning housing box. When the bolt 21 is extended through the arcuate slot 22a of the bracket 22 and threaded into the integral nut 20 of the housing box of frame 17 of the worm drive, the housing or frame can be clamped against the bracket in any desired angular position, and this clamping will also hold the worm gear against displacement on the lid shaft.

This adjustment permits the mounting of the handle shaft 18 in any desired angular relation to the awning box. To reduce the length of the handle shaft, I provide a tubular shaft extension 23, having an upper portion which slidably fits over the handle shaft, and which is adjustably connected thereto by means of the plural pin hole 23a and pin adjustment. The lower portion of this tubular extension is reduced and is equipped with a terminal hook 24, coupled thereto by means of the pin 24a, which is used in the usual manner for turning the shaft 18 to rotate the worm to actuate the lid shaft 14.

Due to this mounting the worm drive may be coupled in place on the lid shaft in any location between the ends of the lid shaft, and inwardly and independently of the end walls of the housing box for the awning, which is arranged in normally rolled condition at 25.

The awning housing box is provided with a horizontal channel 26, suitably connected to the forward edge of the top wall 11, and in this channel the inner leaf 27 of the piano or other type of hinge 28, is dropped. The other leaf 29 of this hinge is attached to the channel shaped lid 30, which is moulded to have a decorative appearance by an outward bulge 30. The lower end of the lid 30 is formed with a longitudinal lateral edge flange 30a, the

upper edge of the lid being provided with a wider edge flange 30b, which carries the hinge 28.

It is the present practice to insert stiffening ribs or braces within the channel shaped lid, and these braces are now made in a single piece of flat bar stock, with lateral end flanges to fit against the lateral edge flanges of the lid. It is now very diflicult to assemble these one piece braces or ribs within the channel shaped lid, and considerable time is lost in driving these braces in position and then securing them with the usual screws. To simplify this work I construct the stiffening brace or rib with a main lower section 31, having a terminal flange 31a on its lower end, and a minor upper section 32 having a terminal flange 32a on its upper end. The inner ends of the sections 31 and 32 have overlapping engagement with each other, and are pivotally connected to each other by the screw or pin, or rivet, 33.

By swinging the minor upper section 32 to the dotted position shown in Fig. 9, the entire brace may be shifted to any location within the moulded lid, and then the shorter upper brace section may be swung into longitudinal alignment with the lower section, and both secured in place, by means of the attaching screws 34.

On the lid operating shaft 14 a plurality of lever arms 35 are mounted. Each lever arm is formed with a socket 35' to receive the shaft 14, and is locked in place by set screws 36. The lower end of each lever arm is formed with a longitudinal slot 37, opening through the lower end, and one side of this slot forms the arm or finger 38, having a rounded forward end 39, and the other side of the slide forms the arm 40, having a rounded forward end 41. The forward end 41 is outset to provide a wider end for the slot 37.

The brace or rib 31 is provided with a screw 42, which is tightly attached to the brace, and which is formed with a large head 42a. A coiled spring 43 is mounted on this screw and engages the head 42a at one end and the brace at the other end. By forcing the slotted end of the lever arm against the spring and head the brace may be coupled to the screw.

Due to the fact that the pivot center of the lever arm is on the lid operating shaft, and this is located below the hinge 28, the lever arm will have a movement different to that of the lid, and the-slotted connection between the lever arm and the brace, through the spring loaded screw, permits the sliding of the lever arm on the brace, and the maintenance of contact between the two at all times under effective tension.

When the lid is raised the brace will have sliding engagement with the slotted lower end of the lever arm, and it can ride during this ditferential movement against the brace.

Due to the fact that the sleeve worm may be secured to the handle shaft in either of its two positions, the shaft may be mounted to overcome installation difficulties arising from building or other conditions, and can be extended from either side of the housing frame or box of the worm gearing.

The diagonal bracket is slip mounted on the lid shaft, and the screw or bolt which couples the housing frame or box of the worm gearing to the diagonal bracket, also holds the lid shaft in proper working relation to the parts, against any stresses whichmight cause the worm to bind on the worm gear. The single bolt or screw which connects the worm gear frame or box to this bracket also controls the angular adjustment of the handle shaft.

In order to prevent the worm gear housing or box from slipping on the diagonal bracket arm, a many pointed or barbed lock washer, of standard construction, is placed between the head of the bolt and the slotted arm, as'at 21'. i

i The arcuate slot of the bracket arm is concentric to the gear shaft 14, and the bolt .21 is located directly behind the gear shaft 14, so as to ghold the bracket and the gear shaft 14 in proper working relation. The upper bearing arm 22 tends to prevent upward displacement of the shaft 14.

By forming two longitudinally spaced holes 18:: and 18b in the handle shaft, and inserting a drive pin, or a screw through holes of the worm sleeve into one of these shaft holes, the worm sleeve may be locked in position on the handle shaft. By placing the worm sleeve so that the drive pin 18c will engage the hole 18b the worm may be locked in one hand position, which may be right or left, and by placing the drive pin 180 in the hole 18a the worm may be locked in the other hand position. This permits of easy coupling of the worm to the handle shaft, and the handle may be extended, by reason of the benefits of this coupling, from either the left or the right side of the gear housing box.

The mounting and the construction of the bracket greatly simplifies the assembly of an awning lid operating mechanism. The bracket is mounted on the ceiling of the box and when so mounted the shaft 14 is seated in the open bearing of the bracket, and then clamped to the bracket by the screw or bolt 21, in any. adjusted position. This bolt effectively holds the gear box in the selected adjustment and at the same time maintains the gear box and its gear mechanism in proper working relation to both the shafts 14 and 18, so that smooth operation of the worm is always maintained, and the shaftl4 cannot be displaced.

The practice with the equipment now in common use in connection with awnings is to mount one bracket against the end wall of the awning housing box to support the shaft, to mount a second bearing bracket to support the shaft, and to support the worm gear and its housing on another bracket, usually secured against one of the end walls. In this assembly it is always difficult to align the bearings for the shaft and even more difficult to bring the worm gear mechanism and its housing into proper line relation with the bracket and the main lid operating shaft.

By the improved construction shown in this application, a single bearing bracket is mounted on the ceiling of the awning housing box, the worm gear mechanism is mounted on the shaft with its housing, and when the shaft is placed on the bearing of the single bracket the housing of the worm gear can be moved against the slotted arm' of the single bracket and then secured by a single bolt, so that the handle shaft of the worm can be supported in any 7 selected adjustment.

' gearing will work smoothly,

As the gear housing box is formed with two annular bearings 17a and 17b for the operating shaft 14, these bearings are aligned with the shaft bearing of the bracket, when the single bolt 21 is coupled in place, and locked in constant'aligned relation to the bracket bearing, so that the shaft can freely turn in the bearings, and the worm with minimum physical turning effort. Due to' the fact that the arcuate slot 22a is concentric to the operating shaft 14, when the bolt 21 is tightened in the integral nut 20, the alignment of the shaft to its bearings is obtained without trouble. The remaining bearings for the shaft may then be mounted in place without difliculty. Due to the fact that hearing 22a of the bracket is provided with an upper arm 22g which projects over the shaft 14, the shaft 14 is prevented from rising, and is effectively held in place. This provision of mounting the shaft 14 in an open C-shaped bearing, and then locking the gear box housing, with itstwo annular bearings, to the bracket, so that the C-shaped bearing of the bracket combines with the two annular bearings of the gear box housing to provide a multiple support for the lid operating shaft. Since the installation of public awnings is highly seasonal this simplification of the labor problem of erecting the equipment, enables the contractor to employ less skilled labor and to operate at lower labor costs'w'ith a higher erecting speed.

In Fig. Zthe lever arms 35 are shown in slightly modified form.

without bindingor strain and Having described my invention I claim as patentably new:

1. The combination with an awning housing box having a lid operating shaft and bearings for the same, a lever arm mounted on said shaft to turn therewith, said lever arm having a longitudinal slot opening through the forward end thereof and rounded ends on the sides of said slot, said box having a channel secured to its upper wall, a moulded lid having a hinge seated in said channel, a stiffening brace bar secured against the inner side of said moulded lid, said moulded lid having an upper edge flange and a bottom edge flange, said brace bar being constructed in two sections pivotally connected to each other in overlapping relation, a large headed bolt secured to said brace bar and provided with a coil spring, the slotted lower end of the lever arm being slidably connected with said large headed bolt between said head and said spring to maintain said lever arm under constant tension and to permit sliding of the lever arm on said brace, the pivot axis of the shaft being different from the pivot axis of the lid, and means for turning the shaft to cause said lever arm to raise the lid in a differential movement against the brace bar.

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said means for turning the shaft comprises a bracket secured in place to the housing box and provided with a pendant arm having a forwardly opening C-shaped bearing and an arcuate slot concentric with said bearing formed in said arm, a worm gear housing having aligned bearings through which the shaft extends and a gear worm wheel on said shaft between said bearings, said worm gear housing also having aligned bearings and a handle shaft engaging said aligned bearings, a sleeve worm on said handle shaft having meshing engagement with the teeth of the worm gear and a set screw for coupling said sleeve worm to said handle shaft in various positions, and a bolt extending through the arcuate slot of the bracket arm and having threaded engagement with the gear housing to adjustably couple said gear housing to said bracket arm and maintain normal service relation between the sleeve worm and the gear, said bolt being connected with the gear housing between said shafts.

3. A hinged awning box lid having upper and lower edge flanges, said lid having a forward bulge, and a stiffening brace bar for said lid having corresponding end flanges to fit snugly against the edge flanges of the lid, said stiffening brace bar comprising a main section and a minor section having overlapping relation to each other and pivotally connected to each other in such overlapping relation, the sections of the brace bar being foldable on each other to permit the insertion of the brace bar between the edge flanges of the lid and the swinging of one of said sections on the other section to forcibly position the terminal flanges of said brace bar against the inner sides of the edge flanges of the lid, each of the sections of the brace bar being connected to the lid by screws; a lever having slidable connection with said brace, and means for operating the lever to open and close the lid.

4. An awning housing box having an open front side and a top wall, a forwardly bulged lid for closing said front side hingedly supported on the top wall, said lid having a lateral flange on its upper end and a lateral flange on its lower end, a brace bar having a flange on its upper end secured to the upper end flange of the lid, a separate brace bar having a flange on its lower end secured to the lower end flange of the lid, the lower end of the first brace bar overlapping the upper end of the second brace bar, a fastener pivotally connecting said overlapping ends to each other, a shaft supported on the top wall, a lever carried by the shaft and having a slotted lower end, a screw extending through the slotted lower end of the lever and having threaded connection with the second-named brace bar to maintain the lower end of said lever in pressure engagement with said second named bar, and a gear mechanism for rocking the shaft to open and close the lid.

5. An awning housing box having a top wall and an open front side, a forwardly convexed bulged lid hinged to the top wall by means of a lateral flanged end thereof, said lid also having a lateral flange on its lower end, a two piece brace having inner ends pivotally connected in overlapping relation to each other, means connecting the ends of said brace to the flanged ends of the lid in chordal relation to the convex bulge of the lid, a shaft supported to rock on the top wall, a lever carried by the shaft and provided with a lower end engaging the brace, a screw threaded on said brace and having slotted engagement with the lever, and means for rocking the shaft to swing the lever upwardly and downwardly to open and close the lid.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 473,183 Wightman Apr. 19, 1892 529,038 Mackinney Nov. 13, 1894 1,227,105 Barnes May 22, 1917 1,354,787 Voina-Hansen Oct. 5, 1920 1,677,820 Foster July 17, 1928 2,296,217 Maloney Sept. 15, 1942 2,547,693 DAzzo Apr. 3, 1951 2,576,391 DAzzo Nov. 27, 1951 

